Loom harness



IFuly 10, 1951\ J. J. KAFMANN LOOM HARNESS INVENTOR. aaezfmafzn) `cfa-n a@ afg 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOOM HARNESS J. J. KAUFMANN `Iuly 10, 1951 Filed April 17, 1947 July l0, 1951 J. J. KAUFMANN 2,560,512

LOOM HARNESS Filed April 17. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l ,l0 52 3561 er Patented July 1Q, 1951 UNITED S'l'TS 'l' FFICE LOOM HARNESS vania Application April 17, 1947, Serial No. 741,972

(Cl. 13S- 92) Claims.

relates more particularly to that type of harness of which one form is shown and described in my previous Letters Patent No. 2,047,511, dated July 14, 1936and another form of which is shown in my previous Letters Patent No. 2,386,696, dated October 9, 1945.

Such loom harness is particularly useful in those installations in which it is desired to insert the warp ends through the heddles by means of the automatic drawing-in machines which are now in more or less common use.

As Was pointed out in my previous Letters Patent above referred to, when it is desired to employ warp drawing-inl mechanism for automatically entering the Warp, it is essential that the heddles be permitted entire freedom of movement upon their supporting ,rods without being obstructed in any way by the devices which' are commonly used, in loom harness frames of the ordinary type, for the purpose of supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends,

While the loom harness frames, of the type of which several forms are shown and described in my previous Letters Patent, above referred to, have provedreasonably satisfactory, it was found in use that it was sometimes difficult to add heddles, or to remove the same from the rods, Without dismantling the rods, and the heddles carried thereon, from the frames.

4 The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide heddle frames, of the character aforesaid, in which the rods for supporting the heddles may be readily manipulated for the purr pose of adding heddles to the frame, or for removing heddles therefrom, without removing the heddle supporting rods from .the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for securing the ends of the heddle supporting rods in the frame in such manner that the .frames will have no projecting parts eiitending beyond the outside Vsurfaces of the stints at the ends of the frames.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which 'Figure l is a front elevation of a loom harness frame embodying the main features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating in front elevation the upper portion of one of the frames, on a somewhat enlarged scale, and

2 showing the parts in the positions assumed for removing heddles from the frame or adding heddles therein when changes are to be made in the weaving to be done by the frames;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, but on a scale similar to that of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l, somewhat enlarged; u

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line l-l of Fig. 6. f

It should of course be understood that the description yand drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that lvarious modications and changes may be made in the structures disclosed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings, the heddle frame proper may be of any preferred construction. For example, as shown, the same may comprise top and bottom rails It] connected at their ends by struts Il.

The heddle supporting rods l2 are made of strips of flat bar metal and extend from end to end of the frame. Each of the heddle supporting rods l2 has its end portions extending through slots I3 in the end struts ll of the frame. in the normal arrangement of the parts, the ends of the heddle rods preferably do not extend beyond the outside surfaces of the end struts l l.

Each of the heddle supporting rods is providedy near each end therof, with an aperture which has a wide portion It and a narrow portion l5. The narrow portion lli of each of said apertures is preferably disposed toward the end of the rod l2. A spring member IS is pivotally secured at one end to the side strut il by a rivet Il. Said spring member lli is provided with a recess I8 near its free end in which the end portion of the heddle rod is adapted to be seated, the same being of a Width corresponding to said recess.

Positioned Within the recess it is a T-shaped member, the head portion i9 of which is adapted to pass through the Wide portion H of the aperture in the end of the heddle rod, and the shank portion 2@ of which is adapted to be seated in the narrower portion l5 of the aperture when the heddle rod i2 is in its normal position in the frame. One of the spring members i6 is;

provided at the end of each heddle rod, so that each of the heddle rods I2 will thereby be held in proper position within the frame. The ends of the heddle rods I2 will be seated and firmly held in the slots I3 in the end struts II against vertical or sidewise movement with respect to the frame. The spring members I6 will normally serve to hold the heddle rods I2 against longitudinal movement in the frame.

The means for supporting the heddle rods I2 intermediate their ends is substantially the same as that shown in my previous Letters Patent No. 2,386,690 with the exception of certain slight differences which will be herein pointed out.

At each of the places where a supporting device is disposed, the heddle rod I2 is provided with a plate member 2l, whichis secured to the heddle rod I2 by means of rivets 22, and a spacing member 23 is interposed between the heddle rod I2 and plate member 2i for a purpose to be presently explained, and as set forth in my previous Letters Patent No. 2,386,690, hereinbefore referred to.

The plate member 2I extends toward the rail of the frame in which the heddle rod I2 is supported and said plate member 2l is provided near the edge thereof with a longitudinal slot '24. The plate member 2i is also provided with a tongue portion 26 which extends from one of the end margins of the plate member 2l, and is bent around and is disposed parallel to the body portion of the plate member 2 I. v A bolt member 2'? is also provided, the head portion 2 of which is fiattened and has its end bent around at right angles as at 28 to extend within the slot 2li of the plate member 2l, and the thickness of the head portion 2 of the bolt member 26 is such as to permit the same to be positioned in the space between the tongue portion 2E and body portion of the plate member 2 the tongue portion 25 serves to prevent the bent over portion 28 of the head of the bolt member 26, which extends at right angles thereto from becoming disengaged from the slot 22 in the plate member 2l during the normal operative arrangement of the various parts.

The bolt member 26 is provided at its outer end with a threaded portion 29. This threaded portion 29 is engaged by a complementa-Hy threaded sleeve 36. This sleeve 36 is provided with a flange 3l, at its outer end, and said ange SI is confined between plate members 52 and 33. The plate members 3'2 and are seated in a recess in the outer edge of the rail EQ and are secured therein by means of screws 314'. The sleeve 3E) also has a cylindrical end portion 35 which is seated in a suitable aperture in the plate member 33. The end portion 35 of the sleeve 3@ is slotted whereby the same can be engaged by a screwdriver for the purpose of adjusting the bolt member in the rail and thereby position the heddle rod at the proper location in the frame.

The foregoing arrangement for supporting the heddle rod intermediate its ends is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 5 of my previous Letters Patent No. 2,386,690, with the exception. that in the present instance the length of the slot 24 and the tongue portion 25 of the plate member 2i, as well as the width of the head portion 2 of the bolt member 26 are so related as to permit the heddle rod I2 to be shifted longitudinally to such position that the spring member I6 at one end of the frame may be disengaged from the end of the heddle rod as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing, without at the in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

same time permitting the disengagement of the plate member 2i from the head of the bolt member 26. The end of the heddle rod I2 may then be sprung sidewise out of the normal plane thereof for the purpose of adding heddles to those previously on the rods, or to remove a certain number of heddles therefrom, as may be required to arrange the frame for weaving with a different number of warp ends controlled by said frame. Each of the heddle rods I2 is of sumcient exibility to permit the manipulation of the same as aforesaid.

The heddles 4D employed are preferably of the type shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of my previous Letters Patent No. 2,047,511, and are preferably made from a thin flat strip of metal, of a width corresponding to the widest portion of the heddle, and having the central portion thereof preferably left the full width of the strip, as well as the end portions 42 thereof. However, the parts of the heddle strips between the end portions are sheared down to a considerably narrower width as at i3 for the purpose of reducing the weight thereof, as well as affording greater torsional flexibility, as is required when such heddles are used in installations where the entering is done by automatic drawing-in machines.

The central portion of each heddle may be provided with the usual punched and formed Warp eye 24 of the desired conformation. Also, in the wider central portion, the usual keyhole slot (not shown) may, if desired, be punched for the control of the individual heddles in the drawing-in machine.

Each of the end portions 42 of each of the heddles is left the full width of the strip from which the heddle is formed, and is punched outl to provide a slot 3S for mounting the heddles on the rods I2, and one side portion thereof is cut away as at 41, substantially midway the extension of the slot 46, so that when the heddles are slid sidewise on the rods I2, they will pass freely without being obstructed by the spacing members 23 of the devices heretofore described for supporting the heddle rods intermediate the ends thereof.

The manner of use of the heddle frames, constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described, will be readily understood. When it is desired to add additional heddles to the frame, or to remove a certain number of said heddles therefrom, as may be required when changes in the weave are to be made, each of the heddle supporting rods I2 is slid longitudinally as indicated When the heddle rod I2 is brought to the position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that the attened head portion 21 of the bolt member 26 will be held by the tongue portion 25 of the plate member 2|, so that the bent portion 28 of the head portion of the bolt member will be maintained in engagement with the slot 24 of the plate member 2|.

The spring member I6 on the one end of the heddle rod, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,

may now be flexed to bring the head portion I9 of the T-shaped member which is provided in the recess I8 of said spring member to such po- .sition that the same may be withdrawn through the wide portion I4 of the aperture in the end of the heddle rod, whereupon the spring member I6 may then be swung sidewise, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to free the same from engagement with the heddle rod. f

A corresponding manipulation of the lower heddle rod would `then bemade, whereupon the ends of the heddle rods may now be sprung side- .Wise out of the normal respective planes thereof thereby to permit heddles to be added to or removed from the heddle supporting rods at the ends thereof.

It should be noted that when this operation takes place, the heddle rods are not dismantled from the frame and said rods are supported at the other ends thereof, as well as intermediate the ends thereof. j

The arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings is slightly different in certain of its parts'. For example, the end struts l La in this structure are not slotted for theV purpose of supporting or positioning the ends of the heddle supporting rods, but the ends of said rods normally abut against the inner surfaces of the end struts and are thereby limited against movement longitudinally in the frame.

Also in this structure, the spring members |611 are not pivoted to the side struts Ha, but are each xedly secured at one end by a plurality of rivets Ila.

In this instance, the disengagment of the ends of the heddle rods is accomplished by springing the member |611 to a position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, to thus bring the head portion ISa of theT-shaped member to a position to register with the wide portion Ilia of the aperture in the end of the heddle rod. The end of the heddle rod is then sprung sidewise out of the normal plane thereof to thus permit heddles to be added to or removed from the frame as may be required.

It will be noted that in the modified form of the structure shown in Figs. 6 and '7 ,of the drawings, the heddles may be added to or removed from the frame at either end, or if desired at both ends thereof.

I claim:

1. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle supporting rods comprising thin at metallic strips removably mounted in the frame, heddles mounted on said rods, and means for supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, the means for securing said heddle supporting rods in the frame comprising the provision of apertures in the heddle supporting rods near each end thereof, said apertures each having a wide portion and a narrow portion, spring tongues mounted on the inside faces of the end struts, said spring tongues each having a recess adapted to receive and support an end portion of a heddle supporting rod and a member disposed in said recess a portion of which is adapted to pass through the wide portion of the aperture at the end of the heddle rod and a portion of which is adapted to be seated in the narrow portion of said aperture thereby to lock the heddle supporting rod in the frame.

2. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle supporting rods comprising thin flat metallic strips removably mounted in the frame, heddles mounted on said rods, and means for supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, the means for securing said heddle supporting rods in the frame comprising the provision of apertures in the heddle supporting rods near each end thereof, said apertures each having a wide portion and a narrow portion, spring tongues mounted on the inside faces of the end struts, said spring tongues each having a recess adapted to receive and support an end portion of a heddle supporting rod and a T-shaped member disposed in said recess a portion of which is adapted to pass through the wide portion of the aperture at theV end of the heddle rod and a portion of ,which is adapted to be seated in the narrow portionl of said aperture therebyto lock the heddle supporting rod in the frame, said spring tongues being pivotally mounted on the end struts whereby the same may be swungout of engagement with the end portions of the heddle supporting rods..

3. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle supporting rods comprising l thin 'flat metallic strips removably mounted inthe frame, heddles mounted on said rods, and means for supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, the means for securing said heddle supporting rods in the frame comprising the provision of apertures in the heddle sup-porting rods near each end thereof, said apertures each having a wide portion and a narrow portion, spring tongues mounted on the inside faces of the end struts,

' said spring tongues each having a recess adapted to receive and support an end portion of a heddle supporting rod and a T-shaped member disposed in said recess, the head portion of said T-shaped member being adapted to pass through the wide portion of the aperture at the end of the heddle rod, and the shank portion of said T-shaped member being adapted to be seated in the narrow portion of said aperture thereby to lock the heddle supporting rod in the frame.

4. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle supporting rods comprising thin flat metallic strips removably mounted in the frame, heddles mounted on said rods, and means for supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, the means for securing said heddle supporting rods in the frame comprising the provision of apertures in the heddle supporting rods near each end thereof, said apertures each having a Wide portion and a narrow portion, spring tongues mounted on the inside faces of the end struts, said spring tongues each havinga recess adapted to receive and support an end portion of a heddle supporting rod and a T-shaped member disposed in said recess, the head portion of said T-shaped member being adapted to pass through the wide portion of the aperture at the end of the heddle rod, and the shank portion of said T-shaped member being adapted to be seated in the narrow portion of said aperture thereby to lock the heddle supporting rod in the frame, said spring tongues being pivotally mounted on the end struts whereby the same may be swung out of engagement with the end portions of the heddle supporting rods.

5. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle supporting rods comprising thin flat metallic strips removably mounted in the frame, the end struts having slots in which the ends of the heddle supporting rods are normally seated, heddles mounted on said rods, and means for supporting said rods intermediate the ends thereof, the means for securing said heddle supporting rods in the frame comprising the provision of apertures in the heddle supporting rods near l each 'end thereof, said apertures each havingva Wide portion and a narrow portion, spring tongues pivotally mounted on the inside faces of the end struts, said spring tongues each having a recess adapted to receive and support an end portion of afheddle supporting rod and a member disposed in said recess'a portion of which is adapted to pass through the wide portion of the aperture at the end of the heddle rod and a portion of which is adapted to be Seated in the narrow portion of said aperture thereby to lock the heddle supporting rod in the frame,

JOHN JACOB KAUFMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 8 l UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Garnsey Feb. 25, 1896 Nuttall Oct. 4, 1910 Kaufmann Jan. 3, 1911 Kaufmann July 14, 1936 Kaufmann Oct. 9, 1945 Kaufmann July 13, 1948 Drake July 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 19, 1940 

